Review of The Way He Looks (2014) by Pasbp — 17 May 2015

‘“Goodbye," said the fox. "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”’ ― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Much like ‘The Little Prince’, you will not find the film ‘The Way He Looks’ featuring anytime soon in any Top 10 lists of the year or of all time.

It is not a critics’ darling. It doesn’t capture the zeitgeist and it certainly does not provide any groundbreaking insight about the times we live in. It is not a ‘Catcher in the rye’ nor a ‘In Search of Lost Time’. But it is a ‘The Little Prince’, concocted with the same deceptive simplicity and irresistible understated charm. And just as likely a target for the same misanthropic, highbrow bile as the latter is.

Its plot, an age-old story of teenage girl/boy/otherwise meets teenage girl/boy/otherwise. Its magic, telling it with inescapable charm and simplicity.

Seemingly reducing the complexity of the human condition to its most clichéd, over-simplistic denominator, what in reality this film does is finding the common humanity in all of us and bridging the gap by conveying it in a universally accessible language, that of emotions, sensations and of fewer words as possible; blasphemy for the supposedly more sophisticated masses.

The film is awkward, silly at times, and it revels in it. It comes to life when depicting with disarming sincerity and earnestness such moments of embarrassing unease. And embarrassing unease is the ultimate definition of being a teenager, if there has ever been any.

Sex hasn’t happened yet. Life hasn’t happened yet. You are discovering who you are, how your body responds to stimulus, which stimulus it prefers and how. You have never chartered these waters before, you have no clue what to expect and feel completely out of your depth. You are clumsy, all that you do and say is pathetic and all that surrounds and happens to you is silly and painfully awkward. And yet, you have never felt so alive.

A few babyish kisses in a foggy shower mirror. One fully clothed masturbation scene, angle wide focused on the eyes, the lips, the face, the touch and the thrill of discovering fantasy and pleasure. One lips-only hushed kiss. One fleeting glance at your loved one’s line of beauty. One climatic final embrace. The thrilling delight of speeding away down your street in your bike, holding the one you love tight, with a joyful abandonment that only youth and inexperience allows.

Let’s face it: Disney nowadays manages to squeeze in more action than this. And yet, ‘The Way He Looks’ stands tall as one of the most sensual pictures ever made. Nothing you see will arouse you. Nothing is overt, crass or vulgar. Its sensuality derives not from what you see but from what you experience. With its disarming sincerity and earnestness, the film pulls you in; you don’t observe as much as you experience.

Some films will provide you with the comic relief needed to manage the drudgeries of daily life and prevent you from falling down the perilous pitfalls you find along the way. Other films will provide you with a safe haven to let it all out, anger and sadness alike, by serving as a metaphor and ultimate validation of all the sorrows in your life.

But then there are films that by virtue of their artistry will fill you with a pervasive sense that irrespective of the reality that you are facing, you will ultimately prevail in some form or the other and will still be able to somehow take a small measure of joy from what surrounds you. Such films will not necessarily give you profound insights about life and your existence, nor will they open your eyes to new ways of being and doing, nor will they invariably make you cry or laugh out loud. Instead, they will fill you with an unbridled, understated elation and an inescapable sensation of being at peace with life passing mercilessly by and you somehow still managing to take some pleasurable bits of it for your enjoyment. They will make it OK to be OK with life as is and its imperfections.

Nothing in this film feels false or formulaic, owing much to one of the most naturalistic and sincere pieces of acting to ever grace the screen, curtsy of its 3 main leads, Ghilherme Lobo, Fabio Audi and Tess Amorim. You will find it silly and unsophisticated. You will find it unremarkable and understated. And you also will feel hijacked by expectancy, as you see sincere love unfolding before your eyes. You will end up elated and uplifted. You will want to clap at the end and will be left feeling giddy for weeks to come. You will be a willing prisoner of its charm.

Just don’t forget to leave your misanthropic self behind when entering the screening room; you can always get back to it later. Give it a break.

That fox was on to something after all...

Oh and I lie. ‘The Way He Looks’ did indeed feature in Top 10 films of 2014’s lists. Joshua Bote, Terence Johnson, you legends.